How To Understand, Interpret, And Work With Master Numbers

Master numbers hold infinite fascination to those who resonate with numerology. It’s fascinating because most people actually want to have Master numbers (or a Master number) in their numerology chart. Do you feel this way? I find that many people want to feel “special” and identifying a Master number somehow satisfies this desire. And yet, on a practical level, how do we successfully understand and optimize what the Master numbers bring to the table? How do we come to understand how the Master numbers actually behave in our lives on a real and practical level? How do we learn to navigate the demands that a Master number brings when it shows up in our numerology chart—whether it is part of our “personality profile” or whether it shows up in one of our cycles? Keep in mind that this highly charged energy is available to you in a way it isn’t to other people—and also keep in mind that this energy also drives you in a way that other people don’t experience.

Some numerologists emphasize the esoteric meaning and influence of the Master numbers and suggest that the higher frequency contained in the Master numbers activates higher levels of evolution within human consciousness. And while there are some levels of Master numbers that are currently activated and are consistently worked with in our contemporary world, there are yet more Master numbers that will be activated and who’s purpose is to expand our continuous evolutionary process. Some assert that those with Master numbers are older souls who have access to knowledge and information from former lifetimes—and some feel that those with Master vibrations are continuing work started in previous manifestations. Those with Master numbers most often experience fierce intensity and some heightened levels of challenge and difficulty throughout their lives.

What are Master Numbers?

In numerology, when you see double-digit numbers that repeat the same number (such as 11, 22, 33 and so on), these are considered Master numbers. Many numerologist’s observe only the 11 and the 22 when they work with your core numbers in your chart. Some also work with the 33 and rarely the 44. All the repeating numbers are considered Master numbers—it’s just that the ones that show up in a chart are the 11, 22, 33 and now sometimes the 44. The numbers 55, 66, 77, 88, 99 are also Master numbers, yet we won’t discuss those within this context. Also know that many numerologist’s never digit a Master number down into its one-digit number—so an 11 is always 11, the 22 is always 22 and the 33 is always 33. Whereas many numerologist’s indicate the Master number by writing it this way: 11/2, 22/4 and 33/6. It’s up to you to feel out what works best and what feels right to you.

So what does this mean?

To start, if you calculate your Life Path number and get an 11, 22, or 33 before you digit down to the 2, 4, or 6, you show a Master Number as your Life Path number. You can also experience Master numbers in other aspects of your chart, including the Destiny or Expression, Soul Urge or Heart’s Desire, Maturity, Personality and so on. Not to mention that you can also experience Master numbers during your Personal Year Cycles, Pinnacles, and during other cycles. If you find Master numbers anywhere in your chart, you’ll benefit from learning more about what it means.

Understand also that there are several ways to calculate the Life Path number. I’ve been taught that the proper way overall is by adding the month/day/year separately and then adding the three single digit numbers together (day/month/year). Here is an example.

You can add the entire birthdate together like one long addition problem:

2 + 2 + 1 + 9 + 8 + 7 = 29
Keep adding: 2 + 9 = 11

Or you can do it this way:

2
+ 2
1987
—–
1 9 91 = 20
20 = 2 + 0 = 2

In this case, the Master number 11 does not show up.

Optional Master Numbers

To get technical about it, when the Master number doesn’t show up with the first way of adding (the “proper” way), you should continue to add it up using the other two calculations. If it shows up in only one of the calculations, the energy of the Master number can be viewed as “optional.”

You might think of it this way: It’s as though you were on the “other side” and coming up with the path you wanted to take and learn about during this lifetime. At that time, you thought: “Hell yeah, I can do that Master thing!” And yet right after you signed up, you also thought: “Oh hell, what if it’s too much for me?” So at that point, it’s as though you gave yourself a choice. You opted for a “hidden” Master number so that you could make the decision to go for the gusto when you found yourself in this body on planet Earth. Or you gave yourself an out—that you could make the determination to instead work with the energy related to the single number. So while you will continue to feel some internal “burn” related to the Master number, you can opt for the lower octave and be just fine. Some numerologist’s feel this way about the Master numbers overall—that someone can always opt for the “lower” vibration of the single-digit number if the Master vibration is too intense or overwhelming.

Issues Associated With Master Numbers

Just realize that the Master number brings with it an intensity that is undeniable. It’s generally observed that the Master numbers bring a higher spiritual purpose, no matter how you might define that. The Master numbers carry a higher frequency and vibration. So in practical terms, this means that you’re going to feel high-strung mixed with a certain level of anxiety when you’re working with a Master number—particularly when it show up as your Life Path or another of your core numbers. You’re going to feel a constant push and pull to be more and do better, often to the point of distraction. You might work with health issues related to this kind of “internal combustion,” like adrenal burnout, weight issues, headaches, thyroid, intestinal distress, mental health issues, or “mystery” illnesses. You might also notice that you have higher expectations for yourself, even when others can’t see that those feelings are going on inside of you. Or should we say, especially when others can’t see that you experience these internal anxieties 24/7.

So what does that mean on a practical level? It means that you’re here to “master” your life and master the elements presented to you within the frequency and vibration of the Master number. It means that you have some significant strengths and some more intense challenges. The bottom line: It’s not easy! Often the Master numbers gestate and ripen with maturity. When we cultivate and tend to the mission the Master number brings to our lives—like a fine wine—we ripen and enrich with age and experience. Many people don’t even begin to open to their Master purpose until later in life—in the 40s and beyond.

The Demands of the Master Number

Master numbers not only demand that you step up and take the lead in life, they also make conflicting demands on you. The Master Numbers actually conflict with themselves. Let me explain. Even though we won’t delve into each of the Master numbers specifically in this article (we’ll save that for another time), here’s an example so that you can see how the Master numbers present themselves so that you can begin to understand how complex it can be when you’re working with them.

Let’s look at the Master number 11 as an example. The 11 is a double one—all about the self, creativity, initiation, independence, innovation, and self-confidence. Yet the foundational energy for the 11 is the 2, which is all about others, partnership, group dynamics, being supportive and behind the scenes. So can you see how—if you’re on an 11 Life Path—you might feel conflicted most of the time? You’re being asked to embody and act upon the most positive elements of two “opposing” energies. When you understand the demands the Master numbers exert you can begin to work with yourself in more effective ways that can potentially harness all that amazingness you have to offer without crashing and burning in the process. And “crash-and-burn” or consistent frustration are reoccurring themes when engaged with the intensity of the Master numbers. Just because you have a Master number doesn’t mean you’re “superior.” In actuality, you’ve enrolled in cosmic boot camp. For life. Yes. For. Life. Period. And remember one of the key components of any boot camp experience—it’s meant to level the ego and train you to endure severe circumstances. It’s also training you to take the lead while also being the ultimate team player.

Optimizing The Beauty & Power of Master Numbers

Once you understand how the Master numbers operate you can optimize the beauty and power of this energy to fulfill a greater purpose and function in life. Just understand that it’s not meant to happen overnight and rarely comes to you without some darker moments along the road to getting there. You can also learn to pace yourself and give yourself some breaks along the way. The primary advice for anyone experiencing Master Numbers is this: Working with Master numbers is a marathon, not a sprint. You must train, be flexible, pace yourself and invest in the right equipment. Otherwise, you’ll either burn too bright too quickly or you’ll deaden the flame and always feel as though you were meant for more yet will never find the courage or strength to take risks and move yourself and your enterprises to the next and higher level.

About Felicia Bender, Ph.D

Felicia Bender Ph.D – The Practical Numerologist is the author of Redesign Your Life: Using Numerology To Create the Wildly Optimal You. She’s passionate about helping people use numerology as a tool to improve their everyday lives. She’s a contributor for The Elephant Journal, The Numinous, and is resident numerologist for AstroStyle.com. See her at FeliciaBender.com.

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